Tag Archives: PEW

General, Public

Fewer Americans are visiting libraries

pew logoRecently, at the PLA Conference in Denver, results of the Pew Research Center survey were released. Here are a few interesting facts, but as usual, since there is beauty in details, we encourage you to peruse the full report.

  • Fewer Americans are visiting libraries—which means they are missing out on many things libraries offer
  • Once again, Pew has been asking American adults whether they visited a public library in the past year. The first time, in 2012, 53% said yes; that has dropped steadily, to 44% in 2015.
  • And, in case you want to account for this drop by citing more online visitors, the number of visits to library websites has leveled off!
  • On an encouraging note, library users think of themselves as lifelong learners.
  • The study also found that many adults do not know they can borrow ebooks, study for high school equivalency tests, and take part in other programs at their libraries.

Could most of this be a result of a failure to communicate? Librarians are always seeking better ways to do exactly that, and those with social media outlets are experimenting in that venue too.

Please consider all of the facts from the report, and comment about what was striking to you!

 

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Pew Research wishes Twitter a happy 10th birthday

Did you know that Twitter is now 10 years old? Well now you do! Twitter turned 10 years old on March 21 2016. Pew marked the occasion with a top 5 list of facts about Twitter. Did you know the very first Twitter message was sent on March 21, 2006? Did you know it was originally know as only “twttr” with no vowels?

Check out the whole article now to learn even more or enjoy the abbreviated list below:

  1. Twitter’s user base has grown rapidly but may be plateauing.
  2. Twitter is largely a global service.
  3. There are six basic types of Twitter conversations.
  4. The Twitterverse doesn’t always mirror the real world.
  5. Twitter can be a valuable tool in helping to deal with emergencies.
Public, School Media Specialist

Libraries at the crossroads

pew-research-centerIn a new survey from Pew Research Center, the dichotomy of public interest in additional library services and the numbers of Americans visiting libraries edging downward over the past three years, would make anyone’s head spin. It seems people want more from their library, but once again, the numbers indicate that fewer of them are using the library. This continues to be somewhat of a conundrum, one that librarians should all think about. What can be done?

There are many aspects of this report worthy of thought, and we encourage you to peruse the full report, while we ponder the following report kernel here…

Of note, in the survey, “85% of Americans say that libraries should “definitely” coordinate with schools in providing resources for children.” This kind of collaboration sounds good, but what does it mean from a practical standpoint? Are K-12 curriculum directors (if there are any) interested in working with public librarians who are trying to provide useful childrens resources? Are public libraries funded adequately to ensure each child has a public library card? Probably not!  But parents could get involved in a big way. It already takes a parent’s permission to give the child a card, so maybe a promotion to parents by the schools could move this work forward. In the CMLE region, we just did a needs assessment so we can share the following data in this area:

  • 90% of CMLE survey respondents live within 10 miles of their public library. Only 20% of CMLE membership filled out the survey, but it is still a great start!
  • The online resources of the public library are accessible almost anywhere as long as students have a library card and an internet connection. Idea: handout for parents during parent-teacher conferences promoting a library card! If the bulk of cards were secured through parents, the flow of work for the public libraries in possibly more manageable.
  • And yes, there is always room for growth. Of our 2015 CMLE respondents, 52% had a working relationship with their public library, which is also a great start. CMLE staff are pondering whether an event where schools and public libraries could begin or grow a relationship might be of interest. If you want to help our staff plan such an event, send email to admin@cmle.org
  • We also learned that 49% of K-12 survey takers didn’t know if their students checked out eBooks from the public library. School media staff need to ask this question…it could help the public libraries as they further develop their eBook collections and would inform the buying decisions of schools too.
  • There appears to be room for growth and continued collaboration between schools and public libraries and CMLE stands ready to support and assist. Our strength lies in creating space and opportunity for such events to take place.

Read the full report now.

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Pew reports on Teens, Social Media, and Technology

pew_teensA Pew Report from April 9th, 2015 details how teens are using social media and technology. Facebook still remains the most popular social network with Instagram and Snapchat second and third. 92% of teens report going online daily, with 24% of teens going online “almost constantly.” Like most Pew reports, there’s a lot of data and text to read and interpret. Pressed for time? Check out the summary.

Read the full report, click here.

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

What does the "Internet of Things" mean for librarians?

Lee Rainie, the Director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet Project, recently shared the latest research about how the “Internet of Things” will be effecting libraries. In it he talks about a future where wearable technologies aren’t the exception but the norm.

And how will they change libraries? First they will change who librarians are and what they do. Second, they will change the library space. Finally, they will change the role libraries have with their communities. For a more detailed examination, check out the slideshow below: